


For you, I would.

by Chaam



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-08-22 04:45:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16591049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaam/pseuds/Chaam
Summary: Jay is called back to rangers and goes MIA. Jay's captain does not sound very convincing, and Al's old friend in the Army says the rumor is that Jay has defected. Erin digs deep with the help of Mouse. Soon she too is caught up in the vortex and the intelligence with the help of one devastated Will Halstead, soon finds out that the trouble Jay's gotten himself to this time is bigger than Jay and Erin combined.





	1. Chapter 01

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted this on Fanfiction.net a while back. Since AO3 has won my attention, and I'm very close to complete the fic, thought it would be a good idea to start posting it here too. Hope you'll enjoy!!

Good morning!

Jay was greeted by Ruzek just as he entered the precinct. Wishing him back Jay noticed that he was the last to enter that morning, almost late. Erin was doing some paperwork and others were probably gone for a coffee. But something else caught his eye as he put his coffee on the table and threw the change coins on to the catch all. Erin gave him a suspicious look.

"Tell me you don't have anything to do with that guy, he has a ranger uniform on and I have a funny feeling "

Jay looked inside Voight's office and frowned as he identified the person in uniform.

"that's captain Reed"

"does that suppose to mean anything?"

"He was my first captain in Afghanistan. But a few years ago he retired, early. " Jay said as he leaned on Erin's desk. His gaze met her already worried eyes. "We have a history Erin, he is one of the best in rangers history, a legend. And if he is here, I must have something to do with it."

"wow" exclaimed Ruzek from behind Jay . "you said he retired, but he is in uniform"

"yes, and I'm as equally puzzled as you are Adam" replied Jay as Voight stood up from his seat and motioned Jay to come. Jay went in closing the door behind him as Erin and Ruzek exchanged glances.

"Hello Jay, I was just entertaining your boss with our stories back in the days, don't worry, its all good stories about you" the uniformed man stood up and gave Jay a hearty hug taking Jay aback, but he responded. The tall man complete with the dark green uniform still did not show off his age. With the shiny shoes and the polished badges and stars the man made the plaid shirt Voight look small, Jay could not help but notice. Erin would have been pissed off if he mentioned it, though no body could deny it.

"I have to say sir, I am surprised by your presence here as well as I'm pleased to see you after such a long time". Jay said pulling back. "Never had a hug before while you were in the uniform"

"I can assure you, you wont have that hug from me when we are back in the battlefield, so cherish that"

"back ?" Jay repeated as Voight stole a glance. He did not look happy, Jay was sure of that.

"about that, take a seat" Voight said and alarm bells rang in Jay's ears. Voight's voice was unusually kind to him and that alone was enough for Jay to assume that something was going on. But he took the seat anyway bracing himself for the shock.

" what I'm about to say is confidential, so it needs to stay in this room, am I clear" the captain asked. His cool dude stance diminished and the stern profile was emerging little by little.

"Crystal" answered Jay, exited and scared at the same time.

" We have a new national security matter at hand that needs to be dealt very discreetly. So discreet that they don't want active army personals Involved. That's why they have called back me, and I'm putting a team back together comprising of the best and the most trustworthy soldiers who are not in active duty. Where we are going and the other details are confidential until the mission briefing. I want you to be a part of my team Jay. "

Jay knew the moment he saw Captain Reed in uniform that he was being called back although the exact details were a bit overwhelming. When he was a Ranger, Jay looked up to him as a father figure. The man's compassion and kindness towards humanity was unshaken and very apparent despite the dust and blood in Afghanistan and Jay had the utmost respect for that. One time Jay gave his chest to a bullet to save the captain. Although Jay had a bulletproof vest on and was unharmed, the Captain knew he would do it even without it. The day he retired the Captain openly appreciated Jay's bravery and aggressiveness towards completing the task at hand resulting in Jay being absorbed to another unit by another captain, who was a friend of Reed, to a special convoy unit where he met Mouse.

Seeing Jay was lost in his thoughts, the captain started to speak again.

" I see son, you've built a whole new life here, but you don't need to give that up. This team will be disbanded when the mission is completed which will take maximum two weeks. And you can return to your normal life again. This is temporary."

"you mean if I'm alive to return" Jay said pointing out the obvious.

"no need to sugar coat son, this is a very very dangerous mission, otherwise I wouldn't be looking for people like you. Harvey and Mandall have already said yes. And I need your answer in two days" . the captain finished the talk as if it was an everyday matter. It had been a long time since the army days and because they left under medical reasons being called back was never an issue. So Jay needed time to even begin to comprehend the matter. But one good thing fell on Jays ears.

"Harvey and Mandall, the twins?" Jay asked with a smirk, so many fun memories coming up regarding the twins. They were so much fun to be with and Jay felt lucky to have such spirited people around him when the going gets was always tough.

" This is a mission I cannot tell you when it will go wrong. We depend on a limited amount of intel. And Jay, I heard a lot about the life you have built here from your boss, I want you to think really hard before you make a decision. I'm not pressing you. Just as much as I would like to have you in my team, I cant help but feel guilty for dragging you in to this."

"We are all bound by our duty towards our country"

"Expected that much from you Jay, but really, think hard, ok" the captain said stealing a glance through the glass door at the worried face of Erin which was not missed by Voight or Jay.

As the captain was ready to go he shook hand with Voight and Jay almost saluted. Muscle memory.

"Already in the mood ha? "

The captain chuckled as he pulled jay for a hug. "Cherish this coz if you decide to stay and I don't return from the mission, this will be our last. And sergeant Voight, if he decides to join, then although temporarily, sorry in advance for pulling your man"

"If he decides to join you, then make sure he comes back in one piece " Voight said.

The threesome joined in a small laughter and Jay stared at the departing captain with his signature stance, hands on his hips.

"if you are leaving the team, make sure the paperwork is completed before that" Voight said to a Jay who held a smile in his face that read as "you are unbelievable" But he nodded anyways.

"Jay, take the day off if you need" Voight said as if to soften the blow of mentioning paperwork to a man who was about to leave for a suicidal mission.

Jay's jaw dropped. "I really feel like I'm not gonna come back."

Voight just closed the door behind him as a reply.

The team mates were watching the interaction. They all held expressions that needed really quick explaining from their faces.

"What is it Jay?" asked Erin, her curiosity taking over her.

Jay sat slumped on his chair as the team waited for an answer.

"Jay" Olinski repeated reminding him the question that was hanging in the air.

" I'm being called back to rangers, for a special mission, temporary assignment for two weeks. Don't ask anything else because everything else is confidential" Jay answered as the team gave different expressions of disappointment.

"so you are leaving? " asked Antonio.

" I don't know, I have two days to decide" Jay said ,his eyes set on Erin. "If I leave and don't come back in one piece , I want all of you to know that I love you ." he added as paper balls flew at him.


	2. Chapter 02

CHAPTER 02

It had been a week since Jay left. A week with no contact, not hearing his voice, not seeing his smile that he bragged Erin would miss when she was leaving for the federal task force, and those eyes. She had been keeping herself busy to distract herself from the memories. She wouldn't dare look at his locker in the lockers room. But she was disappointed at herself because she never thought she would be such a wreck at the separation from her love. She was Voight's steel girl, but here she was , feeling so vulnerable without Jay beside her to the point she mentally slapped her more than once a day. So far she has been successful maintaining her outer cover but she reached the breaking point when she found herself standing in front of Jay's apartment building. Lost in her thought she had automatically driven her car to Jay's apartment after work. She looked at the window of Jays room in his apartment that stared out in to the road. Although she had a key she hadn't set foot in there after he left.

She remembered the conversation they had in that room before he left. They were wrapped in each other after a hectic day of work and Jay was asking for her opinion on what to do.

"what do you want to do Jay? Erin questioned back. " If you do what you feel is right, then you wont regret it in the future."

"I don't want to go Erin, not in my wildest dreams. Do you really think that I would want to leave everything I have here ? You, Will, the team. But it's only for two weeks and captain Reed is a great man. He knows what he is doing. Only risk here is the risk of life, will I make it back? He did mention that this is a suicidal mission because we are working on limited intel and even with that there is a potential leak of intel. But we risk our lives everyday here in Chicago too, right?

"I get it Jay, you need to go, and I understand, If I were you, I would want to do the same too. Besides we are grownups , so for our own benefit lets be a little less sentimental and be realistic for two weeks". Erin said tugging a little tight on to his hands as if to not let them go, her hands doing the opposite of what she was telling.

"just for two weeks Erin. " Jay said turning her to face him. Underneath he knew she did not like the idea. But he consciously ignored it for the same reasons she did. That one day he might regret not accepting and feel like a coward.

"yeah"

"thanks Erin"

"Just don't die out there, OK?"

Its true that she did encourage Jay to go. She knew that If he didn't go his man pride will kill him from inside, that he will forever regret it. Little did she knew how much she has gotten used to their lives together. She clanked her keys and turned to go.

"hey Erin" she turned back to see the other Halstead coming home after his shift.

"You were speaking with his window, should I be calling Dr. Charles? He asked and then his lips narrowed in to a thin line with no humor because he was late to realize what he said. Erin might have had enough conversations with Dr. Charles already, probably not the best joke when it came to her. So he changed the tone and the topic. " Let's just go inside, its freaking cold out here anyways"

"No I'm good, I was just leaving" Erin protested out of embarrassment being caught staring at Jay's window. But mostly because she didn'y know if the familiarity of Jay's apartment would help her or destroy her even more.

" oh come on" Will pleaded. Partly due to his need to have company in the lonely apartment and partly due to his need to make up for his stupid joke and partly because he didn't want Dr. Charles to tell that without Jay, Erin is walking through the same lonely passage that he does.

" lets go in and have a beer, I miss him too" he invited offering her the charming Halstead smile.

Erin badly wanted to go in and cuddle in the sheets of his bed that had his scent, but she was hesitant to let anyone know what a mess she has become ever since Jay left. But she swallowed her pride and soon she found herself following Will in to the building.

"I was used to living alone in New York, you know, but a few months with Jay and now I'm craving for his company". Will threw his keys to the side table as he set the groceries on the kitchen table. "just don't tell him I said so"

"me too" Erin admitted accepting the beer from Will. They settled on the sofa and switched on the TV for a game.

"I'm so scared Will, just have a nagging feeling that something isn't right ever since he left" Erin admitted breaking the awkward silence between them.

" I get that too, but maybe its just the lack of information. We don't know where he is, what he is doing, we don't even know if that plane he took out of Chicago reached its destination". Will reasoned as he sipped his beer. The tangy liquid burning down his throat doing little to make believe him that everything will be okay.

Erin sat in silence, neither of them actually concentrating on the game. After sometime Erin spat out her burning desire. " Will, would you mind if I stay over tonight?"

Will gave her a grin. " Erin this is your place too, you don't even have to ask, you have a key right?

" I just thought that maybe his bedroom full of his stuff will bring me some much needed serenity. I badly need something to calm me down. Just don't tell him I said so. "

"Of course...now we're even" will laughed giving her a fist pump.

That night Erin got her self a nice warm bath, used his shampoo, got dressed in his t shirt, ate from Will's Chinese food on Jays plate and slept like a baby. She felt so good in the morning too. Knowing what a neat freak ranger Halstead is she carefully tucked the bed linen and made sure not a single frill was visible. "He wont even know I was here." She smiled to herself satisfied, prepared breakfast to both Will and herself to make up for sharing his dinner last night and went off to work like a newly freed bird.

And there at work the team waited impatiently for her arrival to start with the new case. Erin wasn't late, but the case was too important to wait for anything. It came from a CI of Voight and thus his impatience was growing on everyone else. Erin sat on her desk visibly happy which did not go unnoticed by her team members who also happened to notice the failed attempts of Erin to hide her anxiety over Jays departure through out last week .

"Is Jay coming back sooner than two weeks?" Ruzek obnoxiously popped the question in front of everyone.

" No, why would you ask that?" Erin asked as she glared at him. This was the moment she was sure that she was giving away her emotions more than she thought she was. So she kept the glare on her face plastered. And Ruzek knew he asked the wrong question in front of Voight. She had to upkeep her image.

"nothing, I just wish" Ruzek retreated with a stutter trying his best at damage control as Antonio swallowed his laugh.

"Lets get to work" Voight said ignoring the exchange. He put on two pictures on the white board and both looked the same.

"Twins, known for everything illegal since they turned fourteen. Grew up in street and now...multimillionaires. Note this, these two are not the average street criminals. These are two brainy bastards. Kills only if it is a must. Keeps enemies as low as possible. Specialists of trading illegal stuff, weapons primarily. They provide specialist services to other bastards who wants to transport illegal stuff to other countries or states or wherever in the world. They keep their hands clean all the time and never have their cargos being taken by the police. We have only bits and pieces of information on them. But one of my CI, who very recently landed a job as a transporter informed me that something special was on their way. My CI was rigorously interviewed by the twins by themselves with the use of a lie detector to make sure he was clean.

"your CI lied to a lie detector? Erin asked in disbelief.

" no, at that time he had no intention of informing me, wasn't even a proper CI. But when he saw the amount of security measure taken by the twins regarding this and the fact that he overheard a conversation between the twins which hinted that they are planning to leave the city once the deal is closed, changed his mind". Voight said observing the puzzled faces of his team.

" my CI is suppose to transport a truck load from the Chicago lab to an undisclosed destination. He will be informed where to during the transportation from a street to street, corner to corner style. He doesn't know his destination until he is asked to stop. And the amount he is paid to do that is...hefty".

" So all we have is Chicago labs" Olinsky joined the discussion from the his usual corner. If Jay was here he would be in a mini startle! Thought Erin. Jay never got used to Olinsky's sudden appearance from the corner behind him when everyone thought he isn't even in the precinct.

"Erin and Antonio, you two go and try to get something from the head at Chicago lab. Try to find if anything new or potentially big and bad is already sitting at the lab"

Erin came back from her reverie when she heard Voights command.

 

They waited for the head scientist who was also the manager of the Chicago labs to appear before them in his office. The lab buildings were newly painted and a state of the art security and camera system was at place that did not escape the eyes of the two detectives. A repair to a building was still going on and it looked like the existing building had been recently repaired.

"sorry to keep you waiting " a man in his mid forties came in to the office hurriedly. From the first look itself the man looked honest and humble. Erin and Antonio stood up and shook hands with him. "So how can I help the Chicago intelligence" he asked as he sat down .

Antonio started the conversation. " before we start this conversation please know that everything we speak here should remain confidential. " he said.

"In that case let me switch off the microphones in the security system" the manager stood up and reached a panel on the wall. He typed on the keypad and sat on his desk again signing Antonio to resume the conversation.

"thank you, we have trusted information that something very important is about to arrive at this lab or is already here. Could you tell us something about it".

The manager looked puzzled. "how do you know about this" he questioned. "no body is suppose to know about it"

This made Erin and Antonio exchange a glance. They had come to the right place.

"our information came from a CI" Erin answered to the startled manager.

"I cannot disclose that information to you unless you have proper security clearance from the pentagon"

"the pentagon?" Antonio repeated as it was their turn to be startled.

"yes, I'm sorry but right now all I can say is that this is a government project and that no body should know about it. If the information came from a CI then I have to inform the authorities that there is a security risk". The manager went on.

" so there is nothing else you could tell us ? Antonio pried purely out of curiosity. But the manager stood his ground.

" I will inform my contact person from the pentagon about this. I'm sure he would like to know more information about this from you"

" sure" Erin said as she stood up to go. It was a waste of time. To add to her dismay now the case will be dismissed with the Pentagon involvement. They came out of the Chicago Labs disappointed.

"Pentagon, government project and a security leak...never a good mix to poke our noses in to. " Antonio said breaking the silence as they walked to the car park. "can't wait to see bosses face.."

"This place looks like it borrowed from the Pentagon security it self, look at the newly done moat" Erin observed. "There is an electric fence as well, what the hell is going on here?" she wondered aloud.

When Erin and Antonio reached the front desk Platt gave them an impossible to understand look. When they turned to the stairs she nodded at Crowley's office and through the blinders they could see Army uniforms.

"That manager is fast, the pentagons already here" Antonio said to Erin who was buzzing in herself.

"Can't blame, its the Pentagon! " she said keeping the door open for Antonio.

"Or not" Antonio replied. His smile faded as he saw the visitors one by one exited the office; Voight, captain Reed and another army personnel.

To worsen the matter a zombie like Will Halstead came in through the main door and when he saw Erin, his face turned white as a sheet.

Erin gasped and Antonio reached her concerned. She shook Antonio's grip and descended the whole staircase in two jumps to reach Will and Voight who were shaking hands with the Rangers. Voight turned to them with a very concerned look he usually reserve for Erin.

"I'm so sorry" Captain Reed said to Erin as she reached them. But before Erin could loose it he said something that made her pull herself together.

"We have a few leads and our team is searching for him, I promise you we will find him"

"So he's ..." Erin stuttered with no courage to complete the sentence. Her throat felt like it was webbed and her knees were already wobbling.

"Hank will explain, I must leave now but before I go, could I have a few words with you"

Erin stepped back with no second thoughts so the captain could speak to her privately.

"Erin, I know this is a very difficult situation" as the captain began Erin wondered how he knew her name. But the rest of his talk was self explanatory.

"Jay was very concerned for you and he told me a lot about you. But if you are the woman he thinks you are, I know you will somehow get through this, until we find him, you have to stand tall for both of you"

Erin nodded in a haze. She still didn't know what exactly happened. But the fact that Jay was alive gave her knees the strength to stand up. The captain patted her shoulder and said his goodbyes.

Voight came to her and took her by the shoulders. Erin prayed to god wishing that he will not do anything more sentimental because a waterfall of tears were struggling behind her eyes to pour out. Last thing she wanted was a public meltdown.

"In short, Jay is MIA, there's not much to say because everything else is, according to that guy 'classified" Voight said but he did not seem satisfied. "Al has some old friends in Pentagon, I'm gonna call them, that guy seem to hide a lot and I don't like it."

Erin nodded again as it was the only thing she was able to do right then. Voight turned to Will , said something and hugged him tight. Will seemed to embrace it as his eyes were closed like he was waiting for someone to give him that little spark of hope that somewhere Jay was alive and will come back.

After Voight and Antonio departed leaving Erin and Will to stare at each other in the middle of the front office Will shrugged and closed the distance between them. A white piece of paper waved in his hand.

"I just got this and I wanted to tell you in person" his broken voice echoed through the people moving between them and around. "Shall we go out for a moment"

Erin silently walked out. Platt's gaze followed her like a hawk but Erin was blind to a lot of things. Ironically she stopped in front of the fallen officers plaque. Nadia's name stared at her.

"I'm sorry but I didn't know where else to go. Should I just leave" Will asked when he saw the tears welled up in her eyes. Maybe his presence was only making her more upset. But Will wanted someone to lean too. He wasn't here just for Erin's sake. She was family to him and she was the only person on earth who would understand the exact pain Jays' void made. A single tear escaped Will's eyes and that was it for Erin. She made a one step sprint towards him and hugged him tight as if she was afraid that he would leave her too. And they hugged a little longer until her tears would stop.

Like that they made peace with the fact that Jay was MIA - missing in action, that they might and most probably not see him again. They dare not say the word but it was the only thing they could think of. 'Is Jay dead?'


	3. Chapter 03

Erin took the steps to the precinct, slowly, like the weight of her heart pushed down on her feet and every step was labored. Her mind rang with words from Will.

"I have a feeling that everything is gonna be alright, he will come back Erin, he has to"

"Of course he has to" Erin had repeated much to ensure herself. But they didn't even know where he was deployed. What if he is hurt or is being hurt by some one, even right now?What if he was deployed in a war struck country, maybe back in Afghanistan? What if he is captured and tortured?

Erin shivered as the thought crossed her mind. And at the end of the staircase she was met with the empty seat of mouse. It was then she realized that there was someone else other than Will and her who is equally affected. She looked in to the rest room but her view was obstructed with the pity looks of Kevin and Ruzek. Erin wanted to shout at them and say that Jay was still alive but thought the better of it. She walked to the rest room where mouse sat in a chair. His head rested on his palms. When he heard her steps he stood up.

"Erin " Mouse said with a guilty tone, as if Jay was his responsibility.

"Maybe this isn't the right time to say it but this is not the first time Jay went MIA. But he survived, and he will come out this time too"

Erin looked at him emptily realization hitting her that there is still a huge part in Jay's life that she didn't know about. Clad in the comfort of having each other they both avoided discussing their pasts. Both their pasts. Erin didn't know whether to regret it or not.

She patted his shoulder and headed for the coffee machine , sweet sweet caffeine might dull her heart ache. She wished she could take the hardest liquor and forget everything in the resulting blur. But she wasn't gonna slip this time. She made a promise to Jay before he left, that even if the worst scenario becomes real, she will stay true to the effort they all took to get her life back to where it is today, she will stay true to that promise.

An hour later Erin was typing the same thing avoiding the woebegone faces of her team mates. Al and Voight were missing, probably contacting the 'old friends' he mentioned. God ! How she wished she could know something...the smallest thing about where and what Jay was up to before he went missing... Most of all how the hell he went missing when his captain is live and kicking delivering the sad news around giving her the attitude talk. She felt her anger replacing the grieve in her. She has a right to know what happened to the man she love ! And her thoughts stopped there. She has yet to tell him that. Jay asked her to move in with her but she hadn't given him an answer. She wanted him to move in with her, but she couldn't get herself to start that talk because she was trapped in the grief of loosing Justin and then by the possibility of loosing Hank.

Things only started to settle down after the whole fiasco of digging up the supposed grave of the Justin's killer, when Jay was called back to the rangers. With that any talk on moving together vanished like it never existed. Now it only added to the pile of regrets Erin summed up for herself which consisted of encouraging him to take the mission, not telling him that she loves him or how much she love him and not telling him the only reason she didn't wanna move with him is because she wanted him to move in with her.

She shook off the thoughts off her mind and stood up to get the fifth coffee of the day. So she could restart the report she was typing...for the fifth time. But she was suddenly crowded by Al and Voight peering over her desk.

"We have something, not good news, if you can take it now, come in to my office, or we'll discuss later"

"I'm already in your office" Erin said stepping in through the door as quickly as she can. Anything that could quench her curiosity, she would accept with welcome hands , good or bad. Voight sat on his chair while Al settled on the side of the table leaving Erin standing.

"So I first talked to this guy, a captain in rank and he had no idea what I'm talking about. So the all 'confidential' crap should be true. But then I talked to this high end guy; very top ranking. He owes me his life. Agreed to share the little he knew. According to what he knew, captain Reed's team was suppose to retrieve and transport something back home. Something disastrous if fallen in to the wrong hands. And from the very beginning, the information was out, though the army intelligence still doesn't know how. So among the top ranks, they decided to do it without actual army personnel involved. That is where ex rangers team, Jay's old team come in to play. Now he says the item was retrieved successfully but during the transportation the mission went south. Two are missing and here is the bad news. They think Jay and the other missing guy is part of it. They think who ever obtained the item most probably weapons smugglers, had help from Jay. They are considering freezing all Jay's properties upon proper evidence"

Erin gasped. She could not believe what she was hearing. "You are kidding me right?"

"Erin, calm down" Voight said standing up.

"Calm down? Calm down? "Erin Shouted. By then attention of the others had turned to them. "Jay didn't think twice about risking his life for this country, he never did, not when in CPD, not in rangers, and this is how they are treating him? "

Voight came around his table to reach her and cupped her face in his large hands. "Erin, we cannot fight the Pentagon, or the Rangers. They have their own jurisdiction. What we can do, is use our head and fight for Jay. Lets take our time to think this through. "

She removed his hands from her as anger rushed up in her. "We can take time to think and plan and act, I know. But will Jay have that time? She said through the glossy eyes, tears threatening to pop out.

"Erin, I've already lost one son, I will not loose another. I can guarantee you, we will fight for Jay to the best we can. "

A hiccup escaped her upon hearing Voights words and she stormed out of the precinct. Antonio turned to stop her but Voight asked not to.

"Let her go" he said and Antonio stopped in his tracks. "She needs to steam off, or else she will be a walking disaster ...let her go. "

Erin got in to her car and peddled on the gas as if she was in NASCAR. Usually the speed gave her concentration. Driving fast down the not so much busy lanes gives her a sense of calmness, it lets her collect her thoughts while her hands do the driving automatically. But right now even that wasn't helping. Because every time she took a sharp turn, a sudden break she remembered how Jay gave her the looks when she drew fast with him in the car.

She had come to the suburb area of Chicago trying to avoid the traffic. That's when she noticed the Army cars parked outside the heavily guarded Chicago lab gates. And through the tinted window she recognized a figure, a face she had come to familiarize recently. She slowed down to get a better look. And she could swear that the person behind the glass saw her too, and the unexpected meet had the now familiar stranger give her a subtle look, almost an expression of a threat. Yes she was sure. It was Captain Reed behind the glass and neither did he expect to see her at this place nor was he happy to see her. But as Erin's car passed hm by, he turned his look in to an acknowledgement and Erin replied by nodding.

Instinct made her drive the car continuously. She didn't stop until she reached the CPD although everything in her wanted to stop and see what was going on. She rushed upstairs and looked for mouse feeling a rush of energy hitting her. He was peering in to the screen as usual. So Erin sat in front of him.

"I need a full work up on Captain Reed and the Chicago Labs manager" she said as he watched her surprised. "Off the record"

Mouse seemed to contemplate her request for the briefest second. But he agreed. "Sure, I'll use my equipment"

Antonio stood up next to her and leaned on mouse's table."why? " he asked.

I was passing by the Labs and at the gates I saw Captain Reed waiting to go in. Chicago labs, Pentagon, Government project, Captain Reed and Hanks CI intel. Ring any bells?

And in that moment the whole of intelligence shared one thought.

Jay...


	4. Chapter 04

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers,
> 
> Before we go in to this chapter, remember that I have placed this story after Jay asked Erin to move in with him but before she asked him to move in with her instead.
> 
> Also this chapter has a lot of reference to what happened to Jay but doesn't explain to the reader the full incident. Because I just could not find the right place to put it. It will be explained in the next chapter though.

_"This is not a good idea, that air vent may end up right at the face of whoever is keeping us here, provided you somehow manage to climb up and get out of it without being eaten up by rats maybe bats or most probably if you somehow manage to breath at all"_

_"I know ..."_

_"but?"_

_"But ... We have to do something, I'm having enough of this, we don't know day from night, how many days do you think we have been here? I've lost all counts, I'm having enough of sitting here and eating KFC "_

_"well, atleast we get KFC, things could be worse"_

_"How so"_

_"we could be starving, tortured or ...dead like Mandel "_

_"But we aren't starving, not tortured and we are still breathing, not quite living or serving our original purpose either, are we?_

_"we are surviving"_

_"Yeah right, what a master of positivity you are Halstead !_

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Erin was waiting for something...anything from Mouse. Her window was open and the sound and the feel of the fresh air was doing a bit of a help easing up the fast running gears in her head. The food cartons beside her bed wasn't even half empty and was getting colder. She looked at them and made a mental note to start cooking at home again. She had no will to cook at home and depended solely on spicy and greasy takeaways that teased her nostrils, forcefully creating appetite in her. They were also responsible for the kilogram she put on since Jay left. Time to start cooking and hit Antonio's gym for extra work out.

Something in her was telling her that she was in the right track. Although she wasn't sure how to move forward in this case she was hoping with the intel from Mouse the road will be clear. The sorrow that had enveloped her ever since she got to know that Jay was MIA was now gone, itching to do something about her hunch. She could not go to sleep until she received news from Mouse, not that she was a good sleeper ever since Jay left. But today was different. She couldn't sleep because of anticipation and not because of the empty space on the other side of the bed.

So yes, when the phone rang, for her thrill it was mouse. But things could change in milliseconds. Before she answered her phone her bedroom window made a sound. She turned to see and saw the bulky men coming through it. One of them expertly sent his flash light hurling at her hand and she lost the grip of her phone and as she dived for her gun on the bed side cupboard one of them pulled her by her ankles and she fell on the floor with a thump. Someone stood on her hands and there was no way she could move them and pain was only beginning by the crushed muscle and veins. Then a piece of cloth reached her mouth. She thought they were going to put it in her mouth and muffle her. She began to scream trying desperately to make the smallest possible sound so someone will hear her. But the piece of cloth quickly covered her mouth and the sharp smell that came to her was only there for seconds for she fell unconscious.

Why the hell did she kept her windows open...

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The two soldiers stopped the push ups they were doing to the faint echo of boots coming from outside. For days they have been listening to this echo. It has been the one thing that connected them to the outside world. For days the same boots opened a small window on the door through which the only light they saw ever since their capture poured in to the room for a briefest second. It was through that same light they saw that they were in a prison room which had a toilet in the far left corner and an air vent right above it. Through that window two bags always fell in to the room each carrying a burger and a water bottle.

"This is my last KFC " Harvey swore. His eyes traveled to the corner where they had piled at least a dozen and a half of empty KFC bags and plastic water bottles.

"If you go through that hole, it might literally be" Jay said to his fellow whose impatience unlikely for a ranger was getting the better of him. But he dare not say anything about it because the guy saw his brother Mandel get shot during the shootout. He was thankful Harvey was keeping it together for this long.

"I don't care, I just can't go home without Mandy...if we make it alive" He then opened up the paper bag that was thrown inside and put it down unceremoniously.

"Seriously bro, are they trying to kill us with KFC?" he asked. "Why don't they just put a bullet in our head?"

Jay wasn't surprise at how he changed the subject. He knew very well how upset his fellow soldier was but the guy didn't want to talk about it and Jay respected that. They both had to be in a strong mental status to survive this. So, if avoiding the elephant ...maybe two elephants in the room was the way to it, he was ready for that. So instead Jay summarized their techniques so maybe it will bring his friend back to the right track and make him stay on it.

"They want us to do something for them, that's why the food comes regularly. So that we won't be weak physically. But they also want us to be at the edge of our nerves. That's why the the food is the same annoying thing everyday and the deprivation of sunlight and the wait for information on what is going on. "

"Our hands are not bound, we have a nice spacey room with a flush-able toilet and the guard doesn't throw food bags at us but put them down on the floor through the hole. Which means they might want us to agree on something with them" Harvey joined him much to Jays pleasure.

"Its an emotional game, maybe because they know we are too good to bend at torture that they prefer we do it at our discretion"

"Do what Jay?" Harvey brought up the big question. It has been weighing both of them down and he just couldn't get his mind off of it.

"What do you think they are going to do with the bomb? Jay answered with another question at his buddy.

"The usual stuff ...blow it up!" Harvey chuckled.

"Then we failed" Jay said to the floor. He did not voice it but he had counted 21 burger meals now. That means if they were given three meals a day they had been captives for probably a week and a lot could happen in a week. They were in total and complete darkness that they couldn't even see each others face. They haven't had a shower for the duration and Jay thought the only reason he couldn't smell himself was because the place smelled far worse. But he couldn't break. He promised himself that he will utilize any opportunity to disarm the bomb and survive to go home to...Erin.

"But they are keeping us alive" Harvey added "that means they still haven't gone past your password, they need you alive for your password. Why are they keeping me alive?

" my password in return for your life"

"It's probably that" Harvey said and Jay could feel his friends heavy breath. Its a technique widely used. Two soldiers who are friends provide an excellent background to use the technique. While torturing one , the other will be forced to watch or give away the information needed so the torture will stop.

"Harvey.." he started but Jay wasn't allowed to complete it.

"We know the game Jay, and we know the consequences if we allow them to win. Can you imagine the aftermath of a pulse bomb in Chicago. The police will be totally blind, the gangs will...god I don't even want to think about it"

"Lets just hope they haven't found a genie that could crack the password." Jay said hopefully. He sure wasn't gonna give them the password. Even if it killed both of them. The whole of Chicago was far worth than their lives.

Then they heard the footsteps again and this time they counted footsteps of more.

"That's unusual" Harvey joyously got up in anticipation. " I told you this was my last meal, either way"

Jay frowned at him. But retrieved because he knew Harvey couldn't see his annoyed gesture.

The door opened fully for the first time and a bright light was placed On the floor. Jay and Harvey closed and covered their eyes in pain. Their eyes hadn't seen a light in about a week and they were sick from light deprivation feeling cranky at the loss of sunlight.

"Give your eyes sometime, they will get use to the light " a voice said. Neither Jay nor Harvey needed light to know who was speaking.

"Captain" they shouted simultaneously. The surprise was just too much.

But their surprise and the hint of happiness that started to emerge quickly disappeared at the realization that their captain was not theirs anymore. The atmosphere felt so suffocative to the two soldiers.

"You're with them ! Harvey exclaimed incredulously. His tone was pregnant with hatred and disappointment. Before long Jay who was still trying to open his eyes fully heard the thumping of boots on the floor. Harvey had managed to open his eyes and jumped at Reed. They were fighting on the floor. Fists exchanged and kicks thrown. Jay opened his eyes slightly and ran at them. Harvey was not goanna win this fight. He was weak and outnumbered fighting against a man who was at least half a foot taller than him. Jay heard other men coming at them in the outside corridor and managed to drag his friend out of the quarrel just in time or else he could have ended with a bullet from the gang members who flooded their prison cell like a wave.

"you killed him, you killed Mandy". Harvey shouted trying to get loose from Jays hold. Reed got up from the floor and signed his men to back down.

"I gave you a chance to go back to the base, why didn't you just go" he asked wiping out a smear of blood coming from his parted lips.

"traitor" Harvey spat at him. Before Jay could stop, a man with a rifle jumped in between them and butted his head with the gun and Harvey slid through Jays hands unconscious. Jay knew the man very well. He was a gang leader he put in jail some years ago when he was in gang unit.

He then walked a circle around Jay putting quite a show. Jay truly felt the presence invading his personal zone as threatening. The guy was doing a good job.

"Isn't it ironic, last time we met the circumstances were opposite. Do you remember me? "

Jay kept silent. He knew the mans name was 'big D '. Big because of the size and d for Diego.

When no answer came from Jay he pointed the riffle at Harvey who was lying unconscious and Jay quickly gave what the man wanted.

"big D"

"that's right. That's my name. And I paid all my dues in prison thanks to you. Now I'm out for revenge. Take back the name you snatched from me. Isn't it ironic we met again". The lament of a psychopath unfolded like that.

There were a thousand things Jay wanted to say but knowing his situation was dire he refrained from making empty threats.

" you are smart" the man said to Jay. " you are silent, observing, calculating and making mental notes".

Jay stood there unfazed clearly hiding his emotions. Years of ranger training coming to his aid.

"if you are as smart as I think you are you will accept my offer"

"which is"

"During the shootout you somehow managed to enter the kill password to two pods. We did not see that coming. We employed a very skilled hacker but to no avail. So give us the password and we let you and your friend walk or else shall we put it this way? If you don't give us the password we will give your friend the most torturous and slowest possible death"

Jay knew this was coming. In fact this was not the first chance he was in such a situation. Fate was playing cruel games with him. But when the man looked at him with the most evil smile he had only one thing to say. "If you know me so well...you already know my answer"

"Jay, just give us the damn password, you don't need to make this any harder than it already is" captain Reed joined the conversation. Jay shivered with disgust. Such were words he never thought would come from his captain. But Jay kept silent. Mostly because he did not know what to say to the man he considered his mentor for a long time. His mind was a complete blank when it came to confronting Reed, like his brain was yet to comprehend the fact that he was a traitor.

"I'm running out of patience, lets get this started, tell me when he becomes conscious "

with that big d and his men stepped out of the room. Captain Reed who held a gaze at Jay shook his head in disappointment, was the last to step out. Before the door closed Jay found the question he had to ask.

" Why?

Reed turned back and stepped in again. The door was yet to close. He let go a breath he was holding and faced Jay.

"Do you know Jay my wife and I always wanted more than one kid but we never really got the chance to try because I was never really home. And the army, knowing very well who I was, what dedications I had made for this country at the cost of my family, still sent in my only son undercover on a suicidal mission when he wasn't even fully trained. After his death my wife was never the same. She started hurting herself because she thought it was her fault that she let him join the army. She started hurting her self and the police and neighbors thought it was domestic violence by a retired army officer with PTSD. Like that wasn't enough they had to call me for this mission. That's when I decided enough was enough. This is my revenge Jay. Nobody will stop me from it. Not you, not Harvey, no body. "

Jay could see Reeds eyes shining with the little light in the prison cell. Whether it was tears trying to stream out or just pure hatred he couldn't tell. Maybe it was both. While Jay was lost in the new information the door closed and he was standing in the pitch black again. He sat down and turned Still unconscious Harvey in to a comfortable position and wished he will sleep as long as he could because once he is up what ever big d was planning to do with them will start. !

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Erin woke up to the sound of a horn. Must be a big truck. She thought. She then realized it was dark and tiny peeps of light was in front of her. As the last memories flooded in to her mind she felt the bounds against her wrists and ankles, coldness of her back against the moving vehicle, sounds of the street, the duct tape over her mouth and the suffocative bag over her head. Her first instinctive was to shout for help but she fought that desire because she realized playing dead was her best option right now. Even if through the bag and the tape she somehow did manage to shout no one will hear her in the noisy busy street.

So she sat still. Listened intently on finding a clue for where they were taking her or who they were. But all she could hear was the sounds of a busy road. No body in the vehicle she was in talked and she did not feel the presence of a person near her. Maybe she could straighten her leg a little bit that was killing her because of numbness. She waited a little more time to make sure their attention was away from her. Then she slowly straightened her leg.

"The bitch is up" shouted someone just beside her. Erin swore under her breath with frustration. She had ruined her chance.

"Give another dose" someone else said from the front of the vehicle. Then someone grabbed her by her neck and pushed her head on to something that felt like fabric. The smell was all too familiar and she very well knew what it was. It was morphine and she drifted slowly to the blind comfort.

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"Jay" Harvey said as he sat up .

"Shhhh"

Jay silenced him in response. "you need to pretend unconscious as long as you can"

"why"

"because they are going to start your session as soon as you wake up"

"so they need the password"

"yep"

"promise me Jay, no matter what they do to me, you will not give that to them" .

Although Harvey waited for a response Jay was silent. "Jay"

"we need to come up with something" Jay finally said.

"Like what, don't we already have our backs against the wall"

"I was wondering, they have only two pod here, they don't have the unit I couldn't lock with the kill password ."

"and"

"So by now the active unit must be at the lab. Neither party can do anything until all three pods are together and unlocked by me. Jay Halstead's bio metrics are also needed so they are going to want me physically"

"and"

"what if I make a deal, agree to give the password. Go there and use the second kill pass word to completely kill the bomb. Remember the second kill password totally deactivates the bombs by burning the circuitry."

"what if you don't get to do that, its too much of a risk"

"we have to try"

"what if I climb up that dirty air vent and go for help"

"that's risky too"

"okay, then why don't you do your thing and I do my thing"

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Harvey ducked down as much as he could as the air vent became narrower and narrower. Pushing past rat poop, animal skeletons and webs and all sorts of disgusting things he could imagine in an air vent in an abandoned prison he moved forward with sheer will. He didn't even know where the hell the air vent was leading him. Making snap decisions on whether to take left or right turn at junctions he was relieved to finally see a light a few meters ahead.

Making the least possible noise he moved forward as fast as he could. Turns out he was on the right path. The vent ended with an old metal net that covered the air vent opening. They had been kept in the basement cells of a prison which was why it was so dark in there. The air vent protruded out of the basement structure to bring out fresh air in. Harvey took a few minuets before he yanked at the metal net to make sure no one was around. The old and net gave out easily at his strong arms. Then he tentatively placed one step outside in to the night. And then another. He was still inside prison premises but he saw an opening through the broken fence. He could hear the river flowing down. But as the fresh air hit him all the bile he had been holding came out like a tsunami. There was no way he could stop it. He let it out with a bark and through the dry heaves he wished to god that no body will hear him. He ran at the opening even before his vomit stopped. It was all over him but this was no time to be a clean freak. If he made it out he could save both their lives including Chicago from a pulse bomb attack.

Apparently god was not on his side today, as he hasn't been with him for the past week. He saw a prison van come through the gate and stopped abruptly. Harvey still kept running. Then he heard someone yell behind him to stop. But he didn't. He just has to crawl through the opening and they wont risk following him after that. There were boats in the river. Tourists taking boat rides were there. If he could only just pass that fence.

Harvey heard the roar of a gun. He didn't even look back. He then felt both the impact and the familiar pain of being shot. This was not his first time so as he hit a metal pole of the fence with a thud and slid down to the ground the agonizing pain eating inside him became more and more prominent. He could see the shooter and two others running at him.

They were getting close. Harvey closed his eyes and opened them accepting the pain. Just like he was taught when he was under training. Just like he did when he was first shot in Afghanistan. He concentrated on it and accepted it. It was the only way to not go insane with it.

They were only a few meters from him. Harvey could hear the river flowing. Maybe his redemption was lying at the bottom of that river waiting for him. He couldn't save his brother. Now he failed his friend. Most importantly he failed his city. He willed himself to stand up. But standing up to his full height was out of his league. His legs gave in but he somehow crawled forward, Forward and out of the hole in the fence finally. Then as if on autopilot he rolled down the river bank and plunged in to the cold river.

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The door to the cell opened and Jay waited in the corner. He was ready for the drama there would be when they get to know Harvey was not inside the cell. Whether his friend actually made it outside was a different matter.

The now familiar figure of big D stepped in. But to Jay's dismay he wasn't looking for his friend and started talking straight up.

"Captain gave me an advice, said that you two are highly trained people that will not bend at torture and I believed him. So I took a different approach. I have something that will truly inspire you to reconsider my request. "

He then stepped out and stood at the door. Two men dragged something and pushed it inside his cell. Jay couldn't make it through the darkness but to him it did look like a body. He shivered at the thought that this could be Harvey's body.

"Sorry the delivery was delayed. We had to handle your friend" he said as he closed the door with a loud bang. For Jays annoyance he was left in the darkness once again. He chose to stay quiet for a little bit of time. Just so he could calm down his overworked nerves. As his curiosity pushed him he stepped closer to the bulk that was thrown in to the room. When his feet hit the thing he bent down and prodded it. His hand first hit on something...he quickly took away his hands astonished. He knew what they were, they were breasts of a woman. He knew the all too familiar rims of a bra and the soft cushion feeling that followed. But before he could fully process what his touch told him a kick came at his groin and he was thrown aback with the impact. He leaned back on the wall covering his groin that was in pain. He definitely didn't expect that and the bulk was definitely was not Harvey.

"Don't touch me again" the bag threatened.

Jay forgot his pain.

He knew the voice.

His mouth gaped in the darkness and the realization brought tears to his eyes. So they know his biggest weakness. They have touched the most sensitive part of his life other than his love for his brother. And now the most important person in his life will suffer and it was all because he failed his mission.

Through the falling tears he quickly regained his senses. He is a trained soldier. He cannot break. And his mission was certainly not a failure yet because he hasn't given up hopes to turn the tables on the masterminds behind this. So he finally drew up a breath that he had forgotten to take and found his voice.

"Er..."


	5. Chapter 05

They took a little more than the standard hug time given the depth of the situation before Jay placed a trail of kisses from her forehead to the neck ending with a passionate kiss to her lips. This did a good job taking away the pain of removing the duct tape over Erin's lips. They felt inseparable and despite all factors against them Erin felt safe in his arms. She wanted to continue the embrace but Jays shaky voice broke her out of the reverie.

"Erin, I'm so sorry, I'm so god damn sorry "

Erin removed herself from his embrace and cupped his face between her palms.

"Its' Okay" she said as she stroked his cheek with her thumb like she used to. Instead of the familiar sense of his cheek she felt the growing beard and what she suspected to be the wetness of a single tear. How she wished she could see his face ! but the blinding dark was between them.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt ? "

"I'm fine" she said and felt Jay's tensed body relax . "What is going on Jay ? "

"Its a long story " Jay said as he sat comfortably with his back against the cold wall and guided Erin to sit next to him. "But in short, we failed our mission because captain Reed decided to switch sides and now a pulse bomb is in three pieces between the army lab and these bastards. Who ever gets to collect all three pieces is up to me because I managed to lock the bombs with my password."

Erin gaped her mouth because of what she heard. She could not imagine the burden Jay must be having on his shoulders. In a matter of second she put two and two together and realized why she was here. She was here as bait and she only felt sorry for Jay. What they were meant to go through next and how Jay will handle that was beyond her comprehension.

"Er... I swear, I'd just kill my self than let them hurt you" Jay said as if he read her mind.

"Jay" was all Erin could manage to say at the helplessness in his voice. But she knew this was the time she had to be strong for him. So she voiced her honest opinion for him. "You can't consider me more important than the whole of Chicago. If it comes to it, you have to be prepared to give me up. You need to know I'm prepared for that"

"I know" Jay gave her an amused look in the dark. Knowing the tough patriot woman in her, he could not expect any less from her. But even the idea of watching her being hurt shook him to the core. "Its a miracle I'm not going crazy" He said as he massaged his temples to relieve the growing headache.

Erin couldn't agree more and she could feel the tension running through Jay. She knew what he was thinking. If they start torturing her, or worse for his password so they could activate the pulse bomb and destroy Chicago, what should he do ? Save Chicago or save her? Is there even an option?

But the uncomfortable silence was not for long as the door opened and a beam of light poured in to the cell. Two men pulled Jay up to his feet, cuffed his hands and dragged him out of the room. Another stood a few feet away from Erin with his gun pointed at her. Erin could only stare as the door closed behind Jay's apologetic glance. He was truly sorry for dragging her in to this mess. The door opened again and another stood blocking it while another one came in taking a syringe out of his pocket. She suddenly realized they were not here to just stand and guard her.

Jay did not protest his captors. He was not going to make empty threats. He was better than that. So instead he honed his senses to the world outside. Although he could see absolutely nothing through the blinds, he listened intently. He was stood after a few Minutes and a door opened with a loud crack. He was dragged in and his blinds were removed to an audience of gang members and his former captain.

" sit " the huge man known to Jay as "Big d" commanded. One of his men dragged a wooden chair and pushed Jay down by his shoulders. Jay sat, his icy glare, the only weapon he had right then, was piercing through his former captain who in response looked away.

"If you promise to behave, I promise in return nothing will happen to you or your girl. You should know there are two guns pointed at her right now. If you misbehave they will take care of her. And for the next vacancy I will drag your brother and his beautiful girlfriend here. Are we in agreement?

Jay nodded promptly as he had no doubt Big d was not making empty threats and the man behind him returned to remove his cuff. His hands were free and he so wanted to punch a hole right through him just for dragging Erin here. But his rage was clearly not the answer. Jay was great with his close combat skills, but he wasn't 007, more than ten men with guns were way beyond his skills allowed. So he forced himself to think tactically. Invent a way to turn the tables at these bastards.

"Believe me, I do not underestimate you. Your captain has provided me with enough information on you to not make that mistake. If I had the slightest doubt that you can get away from here I will not free your hands." Big D said as if he read Jay's mind. " In fact your hands are free as a gesture of good will"

A pregnant pause passed between the parties and Jay made himself comfortable in the chair sensing what was coming. A gesture of good will only meant that this man needed him. Which is why he was keeping him alive and Erin was his leverage.

"You need me" Jay said through gritted teeth when he understood that the silence was suppose to make him feel threatened. He has had enough and was not going to let them continue on the mind game. "and you have the leverage to make me do what ever you want because I would do anything for her. So cut the frigging speech and get to the point"

The huge man stood in front of a light table.

"fair enough, couldn't expect anything less from a man with your set of records" he said almost admiringly and waved a hand at Jay to come closer. Jay stood up and walked to him without a delay .

"I need you to retrieve something for me in return for her life. This is a detailed plan of the lab and its security plans, cameras and everything someone would want if he is to steal something from the lab. I already have a tech guy who can hack in to the camera system and play it while you are on to it. And although I have a dozen men who would volunteer to do this for me I cannot think of a better man than you Jay Halstead. Because you know why?, only a man from the team who created the lab's security plan would know the back doors and loopholes, and you were part of that team. Reed here, made sure the security measures were not changed even after you disappeared. Besides only a man of your agility and body will be able to surpass all that security.

Jay first shuddered when Big D's eyes roamed on his body, then blinked to make sure what he was hearing. He came here to receive the threat to give away his password for Erin's life. What he heard was an admirable request to steal something from the lab. And Jay had no doubt about what they wanted.

"you want me to steal the remaining part of the bomb and bring it here, so you could have the complete bomb" Jay asked amused. "now how the hell do I manage that?"

But the man did not look amused. "That's not all, you missed the rest of it, the part where you use your password to reactivate the assembled bomb and successfully detonate. And maybe we will give the two love birds enough time to get away from Chicago before we blow it up.

A chuckle escaped Jay upon hearing the last part of the proposal. "go to hell" he muttered at the end of it. Big D looked at his man behind Jay and gave him a nod.

"I thought the idea of having your true love hurt would bring sense to you but it seems like you need demonstration, in which case you need this."

Jay looked at him puzzled as he placed a syringe on Jays palm.

"Oh! don't look so horrified at it, you should smile because that is the antidote, the poison was just injected to your girlfriend"

Before the sentence finished Jay automatically turned to run to Erin. but two men grabbed him stopping in mid air, pushed him to the wall and pointed a gun at his head.

"You need to give it some time before the poison take full effect on her and it will swell her trachea and choke her to death" Big D said circling Jay. A triumphant smile danced on his lips and the only thing stopped Jay from struggling the two men and be free to run was the gun. Because he knew he had to be alive if he is to save Erin.

"shall we ? " Big D said as he took the lead and opened the door. The men grabbing Jay cuffed him again and dragged him back to the Cell. Jay could see a bright light has been placed in the cell. His eyes immediately looked for Erin and noticed her sitting slumped in one corner of the cell. She looked defeated. Her hair was a mess, her T shirt sleeve was torn and Jay could see she had been in a struggle - one that she lost. Her eyes made contact with him and it looked like she was apologizing.

In fact thank to the light, it was the first time he saw her since his redeployment and their eyes observed each other in hunger, taking each other.

"The light will stay in as complementary so you could witness what your stupid decision is putting her through."

Big D snapped his fingers and everyone left the room. Jays Hands were free again but the said antidote was taken from him. As Big D passed him he waved it in the air. " Just shout out loud when you change your mind and I'll come with this and an Oxygen tank" he said as he himself closed the door.

Jay ran to Erin. They hugged tight and he felt perspiration on her skin.

"Jay I'm sorry, I tried to stop it but I couldn't. I don't want to be your weak point so please go to the other corner and don't look at me again so you don't have to witness anything."

Jay sighed in defeat but took her by her arms.

"Erin stop, I'm not going any where"

"Jay please" She begged.

"Erin, we are in this together"

Erin pulled herself from Jay and sat against the wall. There was an uncomfortable silence between them. When she saw Jay was not moving away from her she finally gave up and signed Jay to sit next to her and as he did he saw the puncture mark on her arm through the torn T shirt sleeve. His thumb instinctively ran over the reddened area of her skin.

"They said it would take at least twenty minutes to start feeling the effect of choking" she said to him and immediately regretted saying it so raw when she felt how he stiffened.

"How do we stop this" Jay asked as Erin leaned on to him and her head rested comfortably on his shoulder. " If it is not you, next will be Will, It wont stop until I give in or go crazy or just kill myself somehow, and even if I die they wont stop until they find someone who can crack the code and rewrite the programming to their will"

"You seriously considered your death?

"If my death could solve all these problems, then yes I did considered that, but they already have a few hackers working at breaking the code, though unsuccessful so far...I don't know how long Chicago will be lucky. I want to stop them permanently"

" Jay can you start from the beginning, I have twenty minuted to kill anyways" Erin requested.

Although Jay didn't like the idea of the twenty minutes theory he didn't much had a choice, besides he thought it would be a good idea to go through what happened so his brain could maybe show him the directions to the right path.

"The bomb was made by two scientists who were in US defense department radar for a long time because of their research about pulse bombs. They had gone off the grid suddenly and for six months army intelligence searched for them before they got Intel that directed them to Syria. They found out the two were kidnapped by an extremist group for the exact purpose of building a pulse bomb to attack US cities and they were successful with building it. We were to infiltrate their lab and retrieve the bomb but we couldn't find the scientists. The mission was a success only until we were on our way to deliver it to the Chicago labs. "

"Why the Chicago labs? why didn't you just destroy it right there?"

"Because although the bomb was built on the same concept as the US pulse bombs, their programming and the design was totally different, So the Army decided to study it rather than destroy it. But it was risky, they didn't know whom to trust because from the very beginning the Intel was assumed to be compromised. So that's where the ex-ranger team came in to play. And a third party lab was transformed to a fortress by our team so it will be kept away from the reach of a traitor within the army. "

"Okay" Erin nodded in understanding and Jay started talking again.

"we were using a trail road to transport the bomb, away from the people and at the mid point of our journey, Reed instructed us to stop and he said that a separate unit was to take over from there for security reasons. I was so happy because I could finally go home." Jay grinned remembering the moment. But from there onward it was all down hill and his smile disappeared.

"They followed all the procedures properly when the handover happened and we had nothing to suspect. Our team had twelve and we started leaving in three vehicles. Me, Harvey and Mandel was in the last vehicle. We just started the engine and that's when I identified one of them. I knew him to be a gang member from my time in gang unit. There was no way he was a ranger. I knew something was wrong and I got off the vehicle to talk to Reed. He knew that I identified him and gun fire started immediately. We were outnumbered and I knew we were gonna loose soon. So I asked Mandel to cover me and I managed to lock the unit which was the detonator and the second unit that was the pulse generator. But I could not go to the other. I remember Mandel got hit by a bullet and I pulled him to cover and suddenly it all went blank. I now think Reed came behind me and knocked me out." Jay's hand involuntarily went to the back of his neck, the pain was still there.

"He might have decided not to kill me when he saw that I had locked the bomb and he was gonna need me to unlock. When I woke up, I was here with Harvey. We didn't know how long we were out. And we received food and water everyday ever since. When Reed decided to show up to ask for the password, Harvey thought going up that air vent was a better option than being their leverage against me. I think they found him and... ." Jay could not manage to finish his sentence, he felt like he was trapped inside an ice berg, the cold slowly attacking his heart. Mandel was shot right in front of him and his brother Harvey ...he didn't even know what happened to him. He felt Erin's body unusually warming up, like she was having fever so he passed the water bottle to Erin who was still leaning against his shoulder.

"I think they shot him and he fell in to the river " Erin said after she gulped down some water. She felt her body warming up and was sure she was already having high fever. her immune system's response to what ever was injected to her. To her further displease she felt herself a little short of breath. She closed her eyes and opened them and saw Jay staring at her.

"you are feeling it already ?" Jay asked.

" I'm a little short of breath, not even near choking" Erin said managing a smile.

"You are speaking as if you are going to have cold and flu" Jay said in disbelief. How could she be so calm full at the face of death. He has seen it in trained soldiers and it wasn't a foreign feeling for himself. But Erin is no ranger.

Jay felt his heart filling up with pride for his girl for how brave she is. He always knew she was, he has witnessed what a bad ass detective she is. But this was a new level of bravery and he could not help but kiss her.

"you are the bravest girl I've ever seen" he said to her. " I'm so proud of you, and I need you because I don't know if something happens to you what I will become, But I promise you one thing, I will not let these bastards win"

Erin looked at Jay with awe. "I'm flattered as much as I am about to choke!" she said but thought of turning the direction of their talk because of two reasons. One - she was about to cry and she didn't want to , not right now because her tears might weaken Jay. She wanted to put up a brave face so he would think straight and find a way to solve this mess. Two - her hand was softly placed on Jays chest and she could practically feel his heart thumping threatening to burst out of his chest. If she let him go on in the direction their talk was going, and if she tell him how she feels, how much she love him and how much she wanted him to move in with her, how much she wanted to have a life with him, maybe have kids and grand children too and that was the only thing she was gonna miss if she dies...she thought Jay might have a heart attack. So she pretended like she didn't hear the warmth in his words. She pretended like she didn't see the tears in his eyes...

"I was saying, I think they shot Harvey, I'm sorry Jay"

Jay let out a breath and stopped his tears from falling. He could read in to Erin like she was a book. he knew what she was doing and decided to play along, just like he did with Harvey when he decided the only way to deal with his twin brother Mandel's death was to pretend like he didn't even exist.

"how do you know?"

" I was conscious just before they stopped the vehicle here, and I heard the sounds of a gate opening and then some one shouted 'stop' and a gunshot followed with a plunging in to water sound. I assume it was Harvey. He maybe made it out of the vent but not too far"

Jay swallowed hard. He didn't know how the fire exchange ended or how two units of the bomb ended with gang, he didn't know because he blacked out. During the two weeks the team of twelve were together for the mission they had gotten closer. They had depended on each other for their lives, was at the verge of death and had came out of it alive because they were there for each other; made sure everybody goes home at the end. It hurt Jay beyond comprehension when he thought how many of them would be alive by now. And for the first time he felt guilt rising from the bottom of his heart.

" The ...um... the system in the bomb is designed to act in two ways, sleep mode and kill mode. We activate each mode using the type of passwords we use. Thing is, if I used the kill mode passwords it kind of destroys the circuitry, makes the bomb useless. And the labs won't be able to learn a thing. So I used the sleep mode password because never in my imagination I though it would be possible for the bomb to be in the wrong hands. "

"Jay, you should be glad you managed to lock it at all in the middle of a fire exchange, You did the rational thing, you put it in to sleep until the fire exchange was over, you didn't know that Reed was behind all of this"

"maybe, but now I have created myself an impossible situation, when someone uses the sleep mode password, he is the only person who can reactivate the system, and that too by using both password and a scan of my retina. if not for that safety Reed could override my password."

"I understand" Erin said as Jay paused for breath.

"Harvey thought, the only way out of this is by getting out side help, that's why he decided to try the air vent. I thought by staying in I can try to screw up their plans by agreeing to give them the password and then use the kill password instead. But now they have an inside guy at the lab, hackers at their disposal, they have you for leverage and they are gonna get the remaining units with or without me, maybe I should have listened to Harvey"

"I'm sure when Harvey got caught, he too thought he should have listened to you" Erin said trying to lighten the mood because she could sense the guilt creeping from Jays words. But Jay knew what she was doing, trying to be funny so he would feel better when she couldn't even breath properly. But he turned his thoughts in to words.

"I've been thinking, getting out side help and screwing up their plans from inside could both be achieved if I some how get the hell out of here"

"and the only way to do is by agreeing to rob the lab" Erin protested.

"Yep" Jay said as he lifted his arm and took Erin under the crook of his neck and she snuggled in.

"I wouldn't advice on that because when Al talked to a senior guy in the Pentagon, they were considering seizing your properties because they think you are behind all this, so if by any chance you get caught, how on earth will you prove your innocence"

"what?" Jay shouted incredulously. He could not believe his luck. Here he was fighting to save his city but his own people were considering him a traitor.

"sorry!"

"That bastard Reed..." Jay spat as he clenched his fists.

" So my own won't trust me, but what if I can get to our team" Jay wondered aloud quickly dissipating his anger and focusing at the actual matter at hand.

"oh shit why didn't I think about it before, " Erin smacked her forehead . Maybe Jays idea will work."Mouse is watching the lab"

Jay turned and sat facing her curious at what she was saying.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what happened at my end. We had received Intel from one of Hanks CI's that something really important is to be transported from Chicago labs. We interviewed the lab manager who declined any answers because they were classified at pentagon level. Later that day we were informed that you were MIA and I ...was on a spree driving around the town to calm down" she stopped momentarily and Jay realized how much his departure had impacted her. But Erin recovered quickly because she was feeling a burn inside her chest. She wanted to let Jay know everything that could help him.

"That's when I saw captain Reed waiting to enter the lab, I was curious because although I didn't know how to chain up all the pieces I felt that they were all in the same chain. The Labs, pentagon, captain reed... So I asked mouse to do a full search on captain Reed and the lab manager, Mouse started right away and the last I heard from him he had hacked in to the Lab's camera system. Maybe you can get him to see you."

Erin felt the sudden surge of pain in her and automatically she clutched on to her chest. The world was spinning around her and she felt Jays strong arms grab her and lie her down on the floor. She finally had to admit the pain and the lack of breath which she had been denying for Jay's sake. She heard Jay shout something and bang on the cell door and she tried to fight the darkness that was crawling behind her eyes. " not again" she said as she remembered how she fell unconscious when they abducted her and not being in control was a feeling she hated.

she then heard the cell door open and through her bleary eyes she saw some one really large come to her and injected her with a syringe.

"not again" she thought...again.

Next she felt the only good thing she had that day. Jay's embrace. She felt him taking her on to his lap and his hands swiftly ran through her hair. If she was going to die, she thought...this was the best moment. The burn in her chest was going away and she felt at ease. she felt like she could breath again. It was the best thing next to having Jay with her. She felt fine and that was when she gave away her stubborn fight against the darkness. It wrapped her...she felt the cold, but she felt fine...


End file.
